Ryan Moon takes centre stage at Kaizer Chiefs

For all their star names and expensive imports, it is one of the young brigade who has made the biggest impact at Kaizer Chiefs in recent times and it could be his goals that lift them to the title.

Ryan Moon has netted in four of the club's last five games, only failing to find the back of the net in the 0-0 stalemate against Mamelodi Sundowns in late January.

With Colombian forward Leonardo Castro not yet up to full match fitness, the 21-year-old Moon has been entrusted with the starting position and he has not disappointed.

He has out-shone Venezuelan forward Gustavo Paez and the more experienced Bernard Parker, although to be fair the latter has had an injury lay-off, and is very much the aman of the moment' ahead of their crunch Premier Soccer League clash with Cape Town City on Saturday.

Moon, the younger brother of former Bafana Bafana wide player Bryce and an international in his own right, is relishing the opportunity he has been given and says the competition for places up front for the AmaKhosi is what drives him forward.

"It's good to have competition because it gets the best out of you," he told reporters on Thursday. "In our team we have healthy competition for the keepers to the strikers. That's very important because it can only benefit the team.

"The best player gets to play."

Moon's strengths are his finishing, he is particularly adept with the head, and if given the chance to develop is an exciting prospect for South African football.

He is the type of player who appears to go amissing' for periods during matches, but then pops up with a vital goal, something that does not appear to concern coach Steve Komphela too much.

"Strikers do that" Komphela told reporters last week. "When you are in a game you have to be seen when you are just about to strike.

"You should not be seen when you prepare it. You will always see him (Moon) when he strikes.

"You never see a snake while it is searching and looking for a target, but you see it when it matters most," he added. "It's good that he's seen and not seen because if he's constantly seen then they can monitor him.

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- Switzerland's Dario Cologna has become the first cross-country skier to win three Olympic gold medals in the same event by capturing the 15-kilometer freestyle. "Super Dario'' as he's known, also won this race in Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014.
More »

Every Sunday during the Premier League season. ESPN FC brings you its Team of the Weekend, featuring 11 star performers -- plus a manager -- as chosen by our panel of experts.
Do you agree or disagree with the latest line-up.
More »

ATHENS, Greece -- Olympiakos are planning an appeal after the Greek champions were docked three points by a court on Monday and ordered to play two home league games behind closed doors following fan violence at a recent match.
The court also announced the club would be fined 90,000.
More »